Auxiliary axle stub shaft



Jan. 6, 1925- 1,521,934

F. W. EICHER AUXILIARY AXLE STUB SHAFTv Filed July 2, 1920 2 sheets-sheet 1 5mm/nto@ 'EXW. Eicher Jan, 6, 1925.

1,521,934 F.-W. EICHER AUXILIARY AXLE STUB SHAFT Filed July 2l 1920 2 Shams-Sheet 2 'ETL L /7 7 G /5 Smm/05 ET W. E. wher* Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

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" Fos'roN W. EIGHEROF PORTAGEPENNSYLVANIA.

`AUXIL1ARY AXLE STUB SHAFT.

Appiieation `ined au15? 2,

TQ -allkwwm t `may concer/ri: Y -Beitwknownrthat I, Fos'ioN W. Bienen,

citizen'of ythe United States,A residing at'Y lbroken axle shafts.

f .An important object ofthe invention is the provision of an auxiliary axle stub shaft for use fin-vehicles ort-he like which can be used to repair the broken end of an axle-assemlbly in-siichiinanncrwthat the vehiclel can be.

employed for its oidinaiy.pnrpose.

A further object of the invention is thei provision of theidevice ofnthe above. described character which lcan be used as an attachment -upon a-motor vehicle having a f broken axle, in such a manner as to per# niitf easytowing of thevehicle tov desired point. h

A; further object of theinvention is the provision of a device of the'above described character whichl is `simple inflconstruction,v

efficient in use, andi-.occupying such' little yparent dui-ing the `course'iof :the following ,axle drive shaft-iii VVsuch manner as toy allow space as to becapable'of beingeasily carried upon a motor vehicle as an accessory.

)i A-ifurther obj ect 'of the :invention is. the provision fof a. device of .the above described character which can belockedto -ar broken ordinary operation of a-car. Other objects and advantages will be apdetailed description.

Iiithe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like lreference 'characters designate like parts throughout the same,

i Figure 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of arear axle assembly showing theY auxiliary axle i stub. shaft attached to thek broken-end of an axleshaft.

Fig. 2 is a side 'elevation v:of the auxiliary l axle stub shaft.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken onl ther'line of Figa V1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a rear axle assembly showing the auxiliary axle stub shaft rigidly locked to the axle housing.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the auxiliary axle stub shaft, showing the ordinary axle.

'1920. 'Serial No. 393,517.

ineans used yfor applyingl the axle to the rear axle assembly.

` In the drawings wherein forthe,purpose of illustration isshowii airpreferred embodiment of my invention, the letter A. desig nates al ,vehicleV rear axlefl housing.,' having a broken faxle drive-shaft B mounted there.

in. An auxiliaryystub l,axle C {isfsecurely locked to thebrol-:en drive.,axlefiBfkeys D being forced-i into locking engagement with shaft B by sleeve E moiin'tedupon the stub axle C. A Wheel lstructure vV`F'ofthe vehicle is shownf attached to Ithe stub axle C.

JInthe'type of rear axley'asseinbly shown in the drawings, rear axle brake housing is preferably mountedy upon :tl'iefaxle housin A yand secured thereto asi-byirivets 11. spring hanger or perclr -12 is; shown: as

secured to the brake` housing 10for supporting a spring '13 of lan automobile (not shown). .y The wheel structureis of :any conventional .typeY and. may comprise a lhub -14L,;having av tapered aperture 15 therein and a vkey way 16. l*.'lhefspokes 17: are preferably .secured in place .upon hub 14V and between` hub flanges 18 and 19 as by bolts 20. ,Adust cap 21 of any approved type is detaichably mounted luponthe hub 14.,v Av, brakeV drum 22 is likewise secured Ito the-wheel structure F, by bolts20, .which contains a; brake shoe 23 andbrake. lining 21l.

The auxiliary axle stub shaft Ccomprises a spindle portion 25 tapered outwardly and similar in construction to thepspindle of an A key way 26is. formed upon the spindle .portion 25 andadapted to receive a key 27 for vloclifing the axle stub shaft vC ito the hub '14: of the wheel structure l?.r 'An enlarged l.hollowed 'portion 28 is. preferably formed@integra-l1v with' the spindle. portion 25, andiadapted-:to` receive the brokeny end' of'an vaxle .adrive;. shaft. ASlots 29 are preferably yprovided in the hollowed portions 28'for-;the `vvloose reception of locking vkeys ID. Theffkeys D are preferably' serrated upon 1theirkfaces 31 which project inwardly into )the hollowedwportionZ 28,:and arezheld'fin, place in. their respectivesslots by i, projections 32 formed upon their ends, and a wire band 33 embracing t-he exterior of the hollowed portion 28. Locking sleeve E is detachably mounted upon the enlarged hollowed portion 28 as by screw threads 34, and is provided with an interior tapered iio bore tapering from the screw threads and adapted for engaging the exterior faces of the keys D, for forcing said keys inwardly int-o their slots, upon rotation of the sleeve E upon the axle stub shaft. A recess 36 is provided upon the sleeve E It has been found in the type of rearaxle assembly such as is shown in the drawings,

that'the drive axle sometimes breaks off adjacent the brake drum of the wheel structure. A. new axle is then generally required before the vehicle to which the axle is applied can be driven or even towed. ln case the drive axle should break as above described and result in the broken end B, as is shown in Figure l, the application and opperation of this invention is as follows. The. wheel F having been removed the axle stub shaft C together with the keys D and sleeve E are placed upon the axle housing in such manner that the broken end B of the drive axle projects into the hollowed portion 2,8.V The locking sleeve E is then rotated upon the screw threads 3e by the Spanner wrench 37 until the tapered bore 35 contacting with the keys D force their corrugated faces 3l to bite into the drive axle B, thus securely locking the axle stub shaft C and the drive axle B together. The wheel structure is then keyed upon the spindle 25 and a castle nut 40 applied to a screw threaded end il of the spindle 25 for securely locking the wheel upon said spindle. Cotter pin 42 and dust cap 2l are then applied and the rear drive axle can be used in its ordinary manner for an indenite period, since a lubricant can be supplied by a grease cup or similar device (not shown) which can be mounted upon the brake housing and communicate with the bearing surfaces.

Should lthe drive axle B break oif too far, from the brake housing 10 as to permit accommodation within the hollowed portion 28 of the auxiliary axle stub C, the application of the device is similar in all respects to the above mentioned procedure. However instead of locking 'keys D sliding into the broken end B of the drive axle the sleeve E is tightened upon the stub axle C until it is securely locked thereto by meansl of a tapered bore contacting with the exterior face of keys D and securely locking them together. Since the axle housing is within the recess 36 of the sleeve E, it is necessary to securely lock them together to prevent relative movement and this is accomplished by a set screw or set screws 43 placed within the screw threaded aperture le of the sleeve E in abutting relation against a portion of the axle housing which projects into an annular pocket in the sleeve E. However in utilizing the auxiliary axle stub shaft in this manner the key 27 cannot be used upon the spindle and the vehicle cannot proceed under its own power, it being necessary to tow the machine, since the stub axle is securely locked to the axle housing and the wheel structure F so placed upon the spindle 25. lt is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

l claim:

l. In a structure of the character described, a hollow body having one end portion threaded and having longitudinally extending slots intermediate its length, keys extending into the body through the slots and movable radially of the body, means carried by said keys for engaging the outer face of the body and limiting inward movement of the keys, a sleeve fitting about said body and having one end portion internally threaded and engaging the threaded end portion of the body, the sleeve for the remainder of its length having its inner surface outwardly flared to provide a cam surface for engaging said keys and moving the keys inwardly as the sleeve moves longitudinally upon the body in one direction.

2. ln a structure of the character described, a cylindrical body having a shaft receiving pocket provided withv annular walls having longitudinally extending slots, keys fitting into the'slots for movement radially of said body and having lug extensions for engaging the outer face of the body and limiting inward movement of the keys, and a sleeve fitting about the body and adjustable longitudinally thereon and having itsl inner surface tapered to provide a cam surface for engaging the keys and moving the keys inwardly.

FOSTON W. EICHER.

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